Improvement in harvesters



J. L. & H. K. FOUNTAIN.

HARVESTBR.

Patented May 15, 1849.

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.ty of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have the fingers are attached and which supports UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAS. L. FOUNTAIN AND H. K. FOUNTAIN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT l N HARVESTERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES L. FOUNTAIN and H. K. FOUNTAIN, of Rockford, in the couninvented certain new and useful Improvements in Reaping-Machines, of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being bad to the. annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the several parts in connection and ready for operation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, showing the manner in which the cuttingblade is arranged with the jointed levers and connecting-rod to produce adrawingand striking stroke. against the grain or grass to be out. Fig.4 isa vertical sectional view taken through the blade,the fingers which divide and support the grain while being cut, and the bar to which the blade. Figs. 5 and 6 show a modified mode of attaching the-vibrating levers to the stock of the blade.

The same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The nature of our invention and improvement consists in giving to the cutting blade a striking motion toward the grain at the same time that it is drawn transversely against it, which is found greatly to facilitate the cutting, rendering it both more perfect and diminishing the force necessary to ett'ect it.

In the accompanying drawings the cuttingblade (I. is represented as mounted upon a frame which carries a reel, I), to bring the grain against the cutters and turn it over upon the platformcafterbeingcut. Theauxiliaryframe d, "in which is placed the driving-wheel c, with the several cogwvheels, pulleys. shafts, and the crank f for producing the requisite movements of the different parts, is attached by means of adjusting-screws g to the fratne A, in order that the latter may be raised and lowered for the purpose of elevating or depressing the cutter to adapt it to cutting 011' the grain at any required height from the ground. The screw-bolts g are each provided with three nuts-the lowest to secure the bolt permanently in its place in the lower frame, A, the middle nut to hold the lower-frame down in its place, and the upper nut to suspend or hold it up.

The platform 0, the reel b, the supportingwheels' 6 e, the fingers h for dividing the grain and holding it against the cutters, and the alternating rod 1', which communicates motion from the crank to the vibrating knife, are all made and arranged in the usual or such other convenient and suitable manner and of such materials as the constructer may deem expedient to employ.

Thecutter-bladea may bestraightor crooked and serrated or smooth on its cutting-edge, and is attached to the alternating rod or stock k, which rests in horizontal slots or guides formed in the side pieces, I, of the frame. This stock is attached at either end to vibrating joint rods m, on which it turns, in the manner of a. pendulum, through an are which forms nearly a semicircle when the pins which form the axis of motion of the rods are not placed at amuch geater distance from the rod than the length of the crank by which the stock is vibrated. In this case the forward or transverse stroke of the blade is nearly equal to halfitslongitudt nal stroke; but when the distance of the axis of motion. of the rods m, to which the bladestock is attached, is comparatively farther therefrom, the are through which they vibrate contains a comparatively less number 0t degrees, and consequently the transverse stroke of the blade is proportionately less than that of the longitudinal. This arrangement admit-s ot' the striking and drawing of the cut to be relatively proportioned to each other as experience may demonstate to be best for cutting the different kinds of grain and grass.

This machine may be used either with or without the reel, its general management and operation being the same as that of others of similar construction. p

Havingthus described the construction and operationofourimproved harvesting-machine, what we claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Giving to a vibrating blade a compound transverse and horizontal stroke or cut by combining it with jointed vibrating levers m, or other similar device capable of producing the same movement,when the same is combined with stationary teeth h or a reel, b, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

JAMES L. FOUNTAIN. HENRY K. FOUNTAIN.

Witnesses:

BELA SHAW, JASON MARSH. 

